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The shout blasted through the dim bedroom, loud, sharp, unexpected

As it reverberated in her ears, Layla didn&039;t immediately knoho had woken her up with it What had -

Glancing down, she knew she was sitting upright, the sheets crushed in her tight hands, her heart pounding, her rib cage pu around, she found that herher jaw, she knew she must have made the sound There was no one else in the roo her hands, she twisted her wrists so they were palm up, then palm down The illu froht

Jerking herself to the side, she peered over the edge of the bed

Payne was no longer lying in a heap The female must have left - or been carried out?

Her first thought was to go and find Vishous&039;s sister, just juh she hadn&039;t understood exactly what had transpired between thehter dearly

But Layla stopped herself, as worry for her oell-being took over: Her awareness shifted fro into her body, searching out and expecting to find the cra aches that rode her bones

Nothing

As a rooo silent when all ithin it went quiet, so too could the corporeal form when all its co the covers froled off the edge of the high od-awful sensation of blood leaving her wo of the sort, she wondered if the e hadn&039;t concluded itself But hadn&039;t Havers said that it would be another week?

It took courage to stand up Even though she supposed that was ridiculous

Still nothing

Layla went into the bathrooht of symptoms to return and take her down to her knees She waited for the pain to strike, for those rhythain establish dominance over her body and her mind

I don&039;t knohether it ork, but if you&039;re willing, I&039;d like to do what I can

Layla all but ripped off her clothing, shedding what covered her in a mad dash And then she was on the toilet

No bleeding

No cramps

Half of her went into a sorrow so deep, she feared there was no botto the process of the h she&039;d still had so If it was over? Then the death was coht that had lived or was capable of survival; otherwise, the pregnancy wouldn&039;t have terminated itself

The other half of her was struck by a resonant hope

What if

She took a shower quickly, in spite of the fact that she didn&039;t really knohy she was rushing, or where she would go

Looking down at her stomach, she ran her soapy hands over the s you want, take anything you wantgiveelse"

She was talking to the Scribe Virgin, of course - not that the race&039;s let me keep itplease"

The desperation she felt was nearly as bad as the physical stuff had been, and she stu on clean so-or-others

From what she&039;d watched of the television, human women had tests they could take thened to inform them of their body&039;s procreationalof the sort - at least, not of which she are

Butout of her room, she hurried in the direction of the hall of statues, praying that she ran into someone, anyone -

Except Qhuinn

No, she didn&039;t want hiured out whether a ed That was just too cruel

The first door she came to was Blaylock&039;s and she knocked on it after a hesitation Blay had known about the situation all along And at his core, he was a very good ood male

When there was no answer, she cursed and turned away She hadn&039;t checked the tiiven that the shutters were up and there was no scent of dinner being served down below, it was probably in the-

"Layla?"

She wrenched around Blay was leaning through the doorway of his room, his expression one of surprise

"I&039;m so sorry - " As her voice cracked, she had to clear it "II - "

"What&039;s wrong? Are you - whoa, easy, there Here, let&039;s get you to sit down"

As soht her bottoold-leafed bench just outside his room

He knelt down in front of her and took her hands "Can I get Qhuinn for you? I think he&039;s - "

"Tell nant" As his eyes peeled wide, she squeezed his pal" She wasn&039;t sure whether Payne wanted her to talk about what had gone on between them "I just need to knohether it&039;s over or not Can youplease, I need to know"

As she started to babble, he put his hand on her upper arm and stroked it "Calm down Just take a deep breath - here, breathe with me That&039;s itokay"

She did her best to co on the steady, even tone of his deep voice

"I want to call Doc Jane, all right?" When she started to argue, he shook his head firo anywhere I&039;rab my phone You stay here"

For some reason, her teeth started to chatter Odd, as it wasn&039;t cold

A second later, the soldier caain He had his phone up to his ear, and he was talking

"Okay, Jane&039;s co away "And I&039; here with you"

"But you can tell, can&039;t you? You can tell, you can scent it - "

"Shhh"